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Envy' 24 j INVENTOR am zvm' l NESSES ATTORNEY UNITED 'rares PATENT intron.

VILLIAM E. RIVERS, OF OLDBRIDGE,YNEVV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE OLD BRIDGE ENAMELED BRICK AND TILE CO., OF NEW JERSEY.

KILN FOR CERAMIC wAREs.

SPECIFICATION forming pari'. 0f Letters Patent NO. 693,155, dated February 11, 1902.

Application filed .Tune 9, 1898. Serial No. 682.994. (No model.)

Ceramic Wares, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the class of downdraft-kilns employed in burning pottery,tiles, and similar ceramic Wares; and the objects of the invention are to effect an economy in the construction of the kiln, an economy in the fuel consumed, an economy in the matter of injured wares, owing to facilities for getting rid of the sulfur fumes and the better distribution of the heat in the kiln, and better facilities for cleaning out the lines than is usually attained in kilns of this class.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure l is a vertical diametrical section in the plane indicated by line in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similar section to Fig. l in the plane indicated by line x2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in the plane indicated by line w3 in Fig. 2, but lon a smaller scale. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section in the plane indicated by the broken line :r4 in Fig.V

l, but also on a smaller scale.

Ais the oven of the kiln, wherein the ware to be burned is placed, and B is the floor of the same. In the Walls at the base of the kiln is a series of furnaces C, equally spaced, as usual, the number of same being governed by the diameter of the kiln. As herein shown there are eight. The furnace'C has some special features for eecting an economy in fuel. The grate or fire-bed cis inclined, and

the roof or crown c is also inclinedv or pitched" inward to a somewhat greater degree than the hre-bed, so that the furnace is considerably deeper vertically at the door or entrance c2 than at the inner end, where it opens into the iue e8, leading up into the oven or chamber A close to the outer wall. At the inner end of the fire-bed there is an inclined wall c4, leading up to the iue o3 and usually formed in steps, as shown. This form of furnace produces very perfect combustion and reduces the amount of fuel ordinarily consumed to a very material extent. There may be also a small flue c5 leading from the furnace back under the floor B to a central flue or aperture c6 in the ioor common to all the furnaces C.

In the crown D of the oven A are outlets d, one above each of the flues o3, these outlets being controlled by dampers cl', operated by suitable meansas levers and chains, for eX- ample. In the center of the crown and directly over the aperture c6 in the floor is an outlet dx, controlled by a damper dx. The object of these outlets in the crown D is to permit the escape of smoke and fumes from the oven until the fires are well under Way and the sulfur and free carbon driven off, after which they Will be closed by their respective dampers or covers and the draft be compelled to pass down into the flues below the iioor and thence to the chimney-dues.

The construction below the floor B will now be described with especial reference to Figs. l, 2, and 3.

Belowthe iioor is a large annular iiue E, concentrically arranged, from which radial iiues F lead to upright chimney-lines G. Preferably there will be four of these iiues, equally spaced. Within the annular fiue E is a lesser annular tiue H, the two flues E and H being connected by short radial fines I, equal in number to the iiues F, but alternating With them in position, so that the wall J, separating the ues E and II, will be opposite to the inner ends of the radialiiues F. This arrangement permits of access to the flues for sweeping them and also provides for a substantially equal distribution of the currents of heated gases throughout the kiln. The downdraft from the oven A to the lues below is by way of passages a, suitably formed in the door B. These may be situated as' desired, but they Will be by preference distributed in a substantially uniform manner over the floor. They may be all left open or some of them covered temporarilyY at certain points, as dictated by the judgment of the operator.

The iiues c3 and c6, which lead the furnacegases up into the chamber or oven A, may be built up and lengthened into chimneys tem; porarily by loose tiles or bricks, so as to open at a higher point in the oven, if desired. This will be governed by the judgment of the operator.

By the employment in a kiln of the construction shown the kiln may be heated with much less fuel than when constructed in the usual way and the injurious effect of sulfur from the fuel on the wares being burned is also avoided.

I am well aware that, broadly speaking, it is not new to provide a downdraft-kiln with annular concentrically-arranged flues below the floor of the kiln, and I do not broadly claim them.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination with a kiln for burning ceramic wares, of a furnace therefor' having its crown inclined downward toward its inner end, a grate also inclined downward toward its inner end but at a less angle than the crown, whereby the gas-outlet is contracted, an ash-box under said grate, a main gas-outlet inclined upward, and an upright flue c3 and a horizontal flue c5, branching from the upper end of said gas-outlet, substantially as set forth.

2. A circular kiln for burning ceramic wares, having a series of furnaces about the saine with gas-lines c5 c6 leading therefrom into the oven A, a large annular flue E, below the fines c5, with radial i'lues F leading therefrom to asxnany chimney-fines, a lesser annular iiue H,within the space circu inscribed by the iue E, radial flues I, connecting the fines E and H, and flues or passages a, for downdraft, extending through the oor from the oven A to the fines E and H, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 7th day of' June, 1898, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. RIVERS. 

